Jackson in Amador County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Miners’ Graves

Argonaut Mine Tragedy 1922

—(Jackson City Cemetery) —

By James King, May 21, 2016

1. Miners' Graves Marker

Inscription. In memory of Elmer Bacheller, James Clayton, Evan Ely, William Fessel, Charles Fitzgerald, Ernest Miller, Arthur and son Charles O'Berg, and Bert Seamans who died August 28, 1922 in the Argonaut Mine Fire

Location. 38° 21.155′ N, 120° 46.39′ W. Marker is in Jackson, California, in Amador County. Marker can be reached from Church Street 0.2 miles south of North Main Street. Touch for map. The marker is in the cemetery directly across from 415 Church Street. Marker is in this post office area: Jackson CA 95642, United States of America.

of this tragedy are interred at the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church cemetery off of N. Main Street and the Italian, and other Catholic, victims rest in the Catholic Cemetery next to this one, the Jackson City Cemetery.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.

Also see . . . 1. Jackson, CA Gold Mine Disaster, Aug 1922. "The disaster occurred at 11 o'clock last night. Clarence Bardshaw, foreman, with two men were coming to the surface from one of the lowest levels of the mine. At the 3,400 foot level they encountered dense smoke. Rescue crews were immediately organized and sent underground equipped with oxygen masks. They found fire burning at the 2,800 foot level, while a cave-in in the shaft also had cut off all means of communications with exists below that level."(Submitted on May 22, 2016, by James King of San Miguel, California.)

fire erupted. Toxic gas and smoke filled the mine. Probably the first knowledge the miners had that something was wrong was when they noticed that their lunch buckets hadn't been picked up. Rats were usually scurrying around the empty lunch buckets but on this Sunday night there were none. Another indication that something wasn't right. One of the miners called to the surface on the mine telephone and learned that there was a fire. They were also told that no plans were in place for a rescue so they needed to protect themselves. In other words they were on their own."(Submitted on May 22, 2016, by James King of San Miguel, California.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on May 22, 2016, by James King of San Miguel, California. This page has been viewed 280 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 22, 2016, by James King of San Miguel, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.